Water heater



R. J. HUTC HINS.

WATER HEATER.

' APPLICATION FILED NOV-10, 1921- 1,421,692. Patented July 4, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l- 8 now, wlcvz RUFUS J. HUTCH/IVS.

R. .l. HUTCHINS.

WATER HEATER- APPLICATION FILED NOV. 10, 1921.

Patented July 4, 1922,

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

RUFUS J. HUTCH/NS.

srs

RUFUS J. HUTCHINS, OF MIDDLETOWN, OHIO.

WATER HEATER.

menses.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 4, 1922.

Application filed November 10, 1921. Serial No. 514,421.

1 *0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Burris J. HUToHrNs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Middletown, in the county of Butler and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Water Heaters, of which the (following is a specification. reierei'ice being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to water heaters and is in the nature of an improvement on the water heater ot the application for patent filed by me July 18, 1921, Serial No. reason In a water heater of this kind a relatively small burner will maintain the water at the desired temperature when no water is withdrawn or small quantities of water are withdrawn, but when. large quantities of water are withdrawn a relatively large burner is required. If the large burner is utilized when small quantities or water are withdrawn more heat is generated than is necessary and there is a waste of fuel.

One object of the present invention is to provide a heater which will maintain a constant supply of hot water ready for instant use and which will accomplish this without wasting fuel. 4

A further object of the invention is to provide such a heater having two heating devices with separate circulation systems which will be operated according to the amount of water withdrawn.

Qther objects of the invention will appear as the device is described in detail.

In :the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view taken centrally through a water heater embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 22 of Fig: 1; Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional shown the same as comprising a heater proper. which is enclosed within .a casing 1, and a water reservoinor tank Qwhich in the present instance is supported directly above the heater. The tank is connected with a ssuitahle source of water supply, such as .a

city main, by a pipe 3 which preferably discharges into the tank at a point near the bottom thereozt. An outlet pipe 4; leads from the tank to the distribution system. Inasmuch as the tank is in open con'imunication with the source oi supply, which. of course, is under pressure. it will be apparent that the water will flow from the tank whenever-1a faucet in the distribution system opened. A safety valve ,5, Fig. 6, is interposed between the outlet pipe 4 and the tank 2, this valve being of substantially the construction show-n and described in the above mentioned application.

hen the tank is standing idle. that is. no water is being withdrawn from it. very little heat :is required to maintain the water therein at the desired temperature and even when small quantities of water are being withdrawn from the tank and corresponding quantities of cold water introduced into the same. a relatively small burner will furnish all the heat that is necessary to maintain the temperature at the desired degree. I have. therefore. proyided a heating device comprising a heating element 7 which. as here shown; is in the form of a double cone shaped receptacle and beneath which is arranged a burner 8 connected by a pipe 9 with a suitable supply of Preferably this heating device is normally operative. ilhatis, the burner burns continuously but the flame is reduced normally to a very low point. he heating element 7 is connected with the tank by means ofa pipe 10 leading tromthe bottom o-f thc tank to the bottom of the heating; element and by a pipe 11 leading from-the top of the heatingielement into the tank and -p,referably opening into .the tank at a point near the top thereof. These pipes and the heating element itselt comprise a separate circulation system for the normally operatiye heating" device and it will be apparent that the heat applied to the heating element will cause a slow circulation of the water through the circulation system. thus maintaining the water in the tank at the desired temperature.

If water is withdrawn from the tank in sufficient quantities t materially afiect the temperature of the water in the tank, the low normal flame of the burner 8 would not restore the temperature with sntlicient rapidity and I prefer to provide means for automatically increasing the heat applied to the heating element 7 when the temperature of the water in the tank falls below' a predetermined degree; To this end the flo w of gas to the burner Sythrough the pipe 9, is controlledby a valve 12 which is normally open to a sufiicient extent to maintain the desirednormal flame at the burner 8. This valve 12 is controlled by a thermostat 13 which extends into the tank and is set to open the valve 12 when the water in the tank falls below a predetermined temperature, thus admitting additional gas to the burner 8 and causing the temperature to be quickly restored. When the temperature again rises the thermostat restores the valve 12 to its normal position and the flame at the burner 8 isreduced to its normal. size. The valve 12 and thermostat 11 may be of any suitable construction and as thermostatically controlled valves are well known in the art it is not thought necessary to here illustrate or describe the same in detail.

When water is being withdrawn from the tank in large quantities the heating device, 7 even when the burner 8 is operating at full capacity. will be insuilicient'to maintain the 7 water at the desired temperature. I have.

therefore, provided a second heating device which consists of a heating element, or coil, 141 arranged in the upper part of the casing 1 of the heater and preferably coiled about a cylindrical housing 15 within which are the burner 8 and heating element 7. Arranged beneath the heating coil 14: is a burner 16 of large capacity which is connected with a source of gas supply by a pipe 17. lThis burner is normally inoperative'anijl is ignited only when the temperature oi the water in the tank falls to such an extentjtl'iat'the first mentioned heating device can not restore it to'normal. To this end the flow of gas through pipe 17 to the bu rne r 16 is controlled by a thermostatically operated valve 18, the thermostat19 of which extends into the tank and is set to operate at a temperature somewhat lower than the temperature at which the" thermostat 13 will operate. hen the temperature of the water falls to this lower degree the thermostat 19 will operate the valveI18 and the gas flowing to the burner 16 will be ignited by the normally operative burnen8,' which acts as a pilot burner for theflarge, or mainab urner 16. flh'e'heating COll 14. is connected with the tank 2 by a pipe 20 leading ;trom' the bottom of the tank to the lowermost winding of the coil and by a pipe 21 lea'din'g froin the uppermost windingof the coil to the tank and preferably discharging, nto the tank near the upper end thereof.

i understood from the toreygoi Thus the heatingfcoil and the pipes 20 and 21 form a separate circulation system "For the main heating ,device. l

The operation of the devicewill be readily description as the amount and it will been rcnt so lone of water" withd awn -l'ro'in the tank'is not their separate desired temperature in the tank, but if the temperature falls to such an extent that the normal heat will not restore it with sutticient quickness the thermostat 13 will operate the valve 1 to admit additional gas to the burner 8, thus increasing the heat applied to the liieating element 7 and restoring the temperature within the tank. It is'only when water withdrawn from the tank in such quantities that the temperature is lowered to such'an extent that the burner 8 when oper ating at :lt'ull capacity can not restore "the same with sufficient quickness, that the thermostat 19 will operate to render the main burner 16 operative. and thus through the medium of the second circulation system and the heating coil quickly heat the water with in the tank.

While 1 have shown the two circulation systems as wholly independent one from the other. in Fig. 1. it is possible for these'two circulation systems to communicate with the tank through the same pipes and yet maintain their separate operation and in Fig. 3 I have shown such an arrangement. 'As'there shown. a pipe 22 leads from the bottom of tank 1 to the bottom of the heating element '7 and this same pipe is connectech by means 01 a 'Fshaped jointQI-i with the lower winding of the heating coil 1 1. The upper wind ing o'lthe heating coil 11 is'connected by a pipe Z iivith the tank and'the pipe 25which leads from thc'top' oi the heating element Tis connected with the pipe 24: above the coil. in this manner only two pipes lead into the rink but the circulation systems maintain connections and the operation is exactly the same as that described 'in conncciion with the device in Fig. 1. 1 7

While 1 have shown and described ce r' tain embodiments of my invention I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the details thereof as various mod-. itications may occur to a person skilled inthe Having now fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure b lJett-ers'PatentJis: i

with-a source o t'water'supply,' a normally operative"heatingdevice, a circulation system connecting said heating device with said tank. a normally inoperative heating device,

a separate circulation system connecting the last me'nt ioned heating device with said tank. and means 'for rendering said last mentioned heating device operative when the "water, in said tank falls below a predetermined temperature. Y

211i] a water heater; a tank connected with; a sou'rcef'ot water'siipply, aYnorma-lly' operative heating device,' a circulation sys tem connecting said heating device with said tank, a normally inoperative heating device, a separate circulation system connecting the last mentioned heating device with said tank, and means for supplying additional heat to the first mentioned heating device when the water in said tank falls below a predetermined temperature and for rendering said last mentioned heating device operative when the water in said tank "falls below another predetermined temperature.

In a water heater, a tank connected with a source of water supply, a heating element, a circulation system connecting said heating element with said tank, a burner for said heating element, means controlled by the tem iierature oi the water in said tank for controlling said burner, a second heating element, a separate circulation system for said second heating etement, a burner for said second heating element, and means controlled by the temperature of the water in said tank for controlling the last mentioned burner.

4. In a water heater, a tank connected with a source of water supply, a heating element, circulation system connecting said heating element with said tank, a burner for said heating element, means controlled by the temperature oi the water in said tank for controlling said burner, a second l1eat ing element, a separate circulation system for said second heating element, a. burner for said second heating element, and means controlled by the temperature of the water in said tank for controlling the last mentioned burner, one of said controlling means being set to operate at a temperature lower than that at which the first mentioned controlling means will operate.

5. In a water heater, a tank connected with a source of water supply, a heating element, a burner for said heating element, means controlled by the temperature of the water in said tank for controlling the operation of said burner, a second heating element, a burner for said second heating element, and means controlled by the temperature of the water in said tank for controlling the operation of said second burner, and separate circulating systems connecting the respective heating elements with said tank.

6. In a water heater, a tank connected with a. source of water supply, a heating element, a burner for said heating element, means controlled by the temperature of the water in said tank for controlling the opera tion 01 said burner,.a second heating element, a burner for said second heating element, and means controlled by the temperature of the water in said tank for controlling the operation of said second burner, and wholly independent circulating systems connecting the respective heating elements with said tank.

7. In a water heater, a. tank, a. heater comprising a casing arranged below said tank, a heating element arranged Within said easing, a pipe leading from the bottom of said tank to the bottom of said heating element, and a second pipe leading from the top of said heating element to the upper portion of said tank, a heater arranged beneath said heating element, a valve to control the flow of gas to said burner, a thermostat arranged within said tank and operatively connected with said valve, a heating coil arranged within said casing, a pipe leading from the lower portion of said tank to the lower winding of said coil, a second pipe leading from the upper winding of said coil to the upper portion of said tank, a burner arranged beneath said coil, a valve to control the flow of gas to the last mentioned burner, and a thermostat arranged within said tank and operatively connected with the last mentioned valve.

8. In a water heater, a tank connected with a source of water supply, a heating coil, pipes connecting the respective ends of said coil with said tank, a burner arranged beneath said coil, means controlled by the temperature of the water in said tank to control said burner, a casing arranged within said coil, a heating element within said casing, pipes connecting said heating element with said tank, a normally operative burner arranged beneath said heating element, and means controlled by the temperature of the water in said tank to regulate the flow of gas to the last mentioned burner.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature hereto.

RUFUS J. HUTCHINS. 

